Thai hospital achieves complex organ transplant success

Surgeons at Thailand’s Siriraj Hospital have successfully performed a complex intestinal transplant, the first of its kind in the Kingdom’s history. The doctors believe that the achievement could lead to Thailand becoming a global destination for transplant surgeries.

Dr. Prasit Watanapa, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, said that the surgery marked a new chapter in the history of organ transplantation in Thailand. The operation was an intestinal and multivisceral transplant, meaning it involved several organs, making it intricate.

At a press conference, Dr. Prakit spoke about how complicated the surgery was. He said that, even in the U.S. which is a world leader in organ transplantations, fewer than 200 intestinal transplantations are successfully performed each year.

Dr. Yongyuth Siriwattana-aksorn, Head of Surgical Team, said that several specialists were involved in the surgery. He added that he does not want this to be a one-off operation; he wants Thailand’s healthcare to be on a par with the world’s best.

Siriraj was the first public hospital founded in Thailand in the late 1800s and is its largest public hospital today. The Rockefeller Foundation of the U.S. played a significant role in modernizing Siriraj in the early 20th century. Siriraj is also associated with Mahidol University’s Medical College, one of the leading medical schools in the Kingdom.

The United Nations has praised Thailand’s public health system, calling it a model for what developing or middle-income countries could achieve.

Thailand also has an extensive collection of private hospitals, most of which have received the highest international certifications. Along with affordable pricing and many doctors that have been educated overseas, these private hospitals have contributed to Thailand emerging as one of the world’s leading medical tourism destinations.